Valve operating mechanism



Sept. 26;, 1944. R. G, ALLEN 2,359,188

VALVE OPERATING MECHANI SM Filed Jan. 16, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Russa-L; 6. ALLEN sept. 26, 1944.

R. G. ALLEN VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 16 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR /EUSSELL @ALLEN www@ ` ATTORNEYS Sept. 26? 1944. R. G, ALLEN 2,359,188

VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 16. 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR .2h/555m. GALL EM MME( ATTOR Patented Sept. 26, 1944 VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Russell G. Allen, Alton, Ill., assignor to Owens- Illinois Glass Company, a, corporation of Ohio Application January 16, 1942, Serial No. 427,011

Claims.

l My invention relates to valves and operating mechanism therefor, and in the form herein illustrated, particularly adapted for use on glass blowing machines of the type in which charges of glass are drawn by suction into gathering molds.

In such machines, and particularly machines of the Owens type, a series of units, each including a gathering mold, are mounted. on a rotating carriage and each mold is brought periodically into contact with a pool of molten glass and a charge of glass is then drawn into the mold cavity by the application of suction through a vacuum pipe line extending to the mold. A valve in the pipe is opened automatically when the' mold is in gathering position, to apply the suction. In such machines it is often desirable to prevent temporarily the application of suction to one or more molds while the machine is running, without interfering with the normal operation of other units of the machine. An object of the present invention is to provide improved control devices individual to the mold units, permitting the operator to control the suction gathering operations of the several units individually and selectively whilev the machine is running and without interfering with the continued operation of the other units.

Other objects of the invention will rappear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig; 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of an Owens type machine to which the present invention is applied, the section being taken through one of the heads or units of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a part-sectional side elevation on a larger scale of a vacuum pipe and the associated valve mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view'of the valve mechanism, the valve operating means being in normal operating position.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the valve operating means shifted to inoperative position.

Referring to Fig. 1, the invention is 'shown as applied to an Owens suction gathering machine of the general type disclosed in the patent to La France, 1,185,687, June 6, 1916. The machine comprises a stationary center column I0 on which a mold carriage I I is mounted for continuous rotation about a vertical axis. A plurality of heads or units is arranged in an annular series on the carriage, each unit comprising a suction gathering mold I2 carried on a dip frame I3 which is periodically lowered to bring the mold into sealing contact with a pool of molten glass. The

means for lifting and lowering the dip head includes a stationary cam track I4 on which runs a cam follower roll I5 operatively connected with the dip head. The connections include a slide I6, bell crank lever I'I, and links I8 and I9. A vacuum chamber 2l)a communicates with the molds through vacuum lines individual to the molds, each said line comprising a horizontally disposed vacuum pipe 20 connected through elbow joints 2| and 22 with a vertical vacuum pipe 23 extending downward to a suction head 24 directly over the mold and in communication with the mold cavity.

A suction valve 25 (Fig. 2) is mounted at the lower end of the pipe 23. The valve is carried on a rod 26 which extends upwardly through the pipe 23, elbow 22 and a bearing 21 which may be 'formed integral with said elbow. A coil spring 28 which surrounds the rod is held under compression between the bearing 21 and a nut 29 threaded on the rod. A bracket arm 33 which extends upwardly from the elbow 22, carries a horizontal pivot pin 3l. A valve operating arm 32 is pivotally connected by means of a vertically disposed pivot pin 33, to a bracket 34 formed on a bearing sleeve 35 which is mounted to rock about the axis of the pivot pin 3|.

During the normal operation of the machine the arm. 32 extends over the valve rod 26 as shown in Fig. 4. The arm 32 is periodically swung downward for opening the: valve, by automatic mechanism including a stationary cam track 35 (Fig. 1) which actuates a lever 3'I connected through a rod 38 to a rock arm 39 which may be formed on and extends downward from the bearing sleeve 35. The arm 32 carries a contact pin or bolt 40, the head of which engages the valve rod 26,` the bolt 40 being threaded in the arm 32 and adjustable up and do-wn therein.

Manual means for swinging the arm 32 to and from its operative position includes a link 4| connected at one end to the arm by a pivot 42 and at its other end connected to a rock arm 43 keyed to a pivot pin 44 journalled in a bracket arm 45 integral with and extending upwardly from the bearing sleeve 35. The pin 44 is connected by a universal joint 46 to the upper end of a vertically disposed rod comprising an upper section 41 and a lower section 49 connected by a universal joint 4B. The section 49 is mounted to rock in bearing lugs 50 formed on straps 5I which are clamped to the pipe 23. An operating handle 52 is attached to the lower end of the rod.

It will be seen that when the handle 52 s swung outwardly from the Fig. 4 position to the Fig. 5 position, it operates through the linkage just described to swing the valve operating lever 32 out of register with the valve stem 26. The lever 32 then will swing idly up and down under the control of the cam 36 while the vacuum valve is held in closed position by the spring 28. The universal joint 46 is preferably positioned directly in line with the pivot pin 3| so that rocking movement of the valve lever 32 about the pivot pin 3| is not affected by and does not impart any movement to the manual operating rod 41, 49 and handle 52. The lever 32 is held in its operative and inoperative positions by a detent 53 attached to a leaf spring 54 and yieldingly held thereby in notches 55 and 56 formed in the lever.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. The combination of a carriage mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, a vertically disposed vacuum pipe mounted on the carriage, a valve at the lower end of said pipe, a valve rod extending upwardly from the valve through said pipe, a bracket mounted on the carriage for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, an arm pivoted at one end on the bracket for swinging movement about an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of said bracket, a contact device carried at the outer end of said arm and positioned over said-rod, a cam having a stationary mounting separate from the carriage, means actuated thereby for swinging said bracket and thereby actuating the valve, and means for swingingV said arm about its pivot to anV inoperative position, said last mentioned means including a rock shaft journalledin the bracket to swing about a pivot spaced laterally from the pivotV of said arm, a rock arm onsaid rock shaft, a link connecting said arms, and Va manual device for rocking said rock shaft and thereby rocking said arms. v

' 2. YThe combination of a carriage mounted for rotationlabout a vertical axis, a vertically dis- A posed vacuum pipe mounted on the carriage, a

the control of the cam, a handle, and operating connections between the handle and said swinging arm for swinging the arm into and out of operative position, said operating connections including a rock shaft having its axis substantially parallel with the pivot of said swinging arm, a rock arm on said rock'shaft, a link connecting said arms, and a rod connected to and depending from said rock shaft and having said handle operatively connected thereto.

3. In combination of a carriage mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, a vertically disposed vacuum pipe mounted on the carriage, a valve at the lower end of said pipe, a valve rod extending upwardly from the valve through said pipe, a bracket mounted on the carriage for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, an arm pivoted at one end on the bracket for swinging movement about an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of said bracket, a contact devicercarried at the outer end of said arm and positioned over said rod, manual means for swinging said arm and contact device into and out of operative position, said manual means comprising a vertically disposed rock shaft mounted at one side of said pipe, a second arm pivoted on said bracket, a link connecting said arms, and means providing operating connections between said rock shaft and said second arm.

4. A machine of the character described comprising a center column, a carriage mounted to rotate horizontally about said column, a vertically disposed pipe on the carriage and positioned radially outward from said column, a valve at the lower end of said pipe, a valve rod, connected to the valveiand extending upwardly through the pipe and having its upper end positioned above the pipe, a bracket arm at the upper end of the pipe, a swinging bracket pivotally mounted on said arm for up and down swinging movement about a horizontally disposed axis, a rock arm pivoted at one end to said swinging bracket for lateral swinging movement into and out of an operative position in which it projects over the upper end of the valve rod, a stationary cam mounted on said column, means providing operating connections between said cam and Vsaid swinging bracket for swinging the latter and Vthereby actuating the valve, and manual means for swinging said rock arm into and out Vof operative position, said manual means including aV second rock arm pivoted to said swinging bracket, a link connecting said rock arms, a vertically disposed rod mounted for rocking movement at one side of said pipe, a handle on said rod, and means providing a universal joint between said rod and Vsaid second rock arm, said universal joint being in line with the axis of'said swinging bracket.

5. The combination of a carriage mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, a Yvertically disposed vacuum pipe mounted on` the carriage, a valve at the lower'end of said pipe, a valve rod extending upwardly Vfrom the valve, a bracket mounted on the carriage for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, an arm pivoted at one end on the bracket, acontact device carried at the free end of said arm and positioned over said rod, a cam mounted separately from the carriage, means operated thereby for swinging the bracket and causing said contact device to operate the valve, manual means for swinging vsaid arm and contact device into and-'out of operative position, said manual means comprising a second arm pivoted to swing about an axis parallel with and Y 

